Description

Lophophora williamsii ‘Villa Arista’ | ‘Peyote’, ‘Peyōtl’ | 25 seeds

Another of our UK exclusives, Lophophora williamsii ‘Villa Arista’ is a cool ‘Peyote’ variety originating from near the town of Villa Arista in San Luis Potosí state, Mexico.

Lophophora williamsiiis a small dark-green and spineless cactus, native to Mexico and southwestern Texas and found primarily in the Chihuahuan desert and in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas among scrub – especially where there is limestone. Growing to around fifteen centimetres high, williamsii is drought-tolerant and prefers full sun to partial shade.

The English name ‘Peyote’ derives from the identically-spelled Spanish name, which in turn comes from the Nahuatl name ‘Peyōtl’, said to be derived from a root meaning “glisten” or “glistening”. The species has enjoyed a long relationship with human and has a history of ritualistic and medicinal use by indigenous Americans, who are likely to have used the plant for ceremonial purposes for at least five and a half thousand years.

All the seed sold by Arkham’s Botanical was freshly and ethically sourced in 2018-2019